Replacing my keeper - Advice needed

[TredWel]

Okay, I'm about to promote to Division IV, and I'm looking to shore up a couple of questionable spots on my team with the end of the season prize money.

I think biggest target should be keeper. Ruperto Zuazo has been my starting keeper ever since I got my team. He's going to be 27. He's a passable keeper, consistantly putting up 2 stars in weak form, 2.5 stars in inadequate & passable form, and 3 stars in solid form and better.

First question: Am I right in that he should be replaced? Will that get it done in Div IV?

Second question: How much should I budget for a solid keeper. Since I'm not training him, age doesn't really matter.

Third question: I also have an excellent youth squad (though I'm still waiting for a pick to live up to that name). Should I start picking keepers with my youth pulls, try to grab a better keeper that way, and spend my money elsewhere?

[McSweeny]

you'll probably end up spending around 160k-200k for a solid keeper

[Bee]

You might get lucky and get a solid keeper from a youth pull. You should have a decent shot at a passable keeper that might be a little better than you have now as well. In either case, I would think a few good pulls should get you either a solid keeper or a couple passables that you could sell to pay for the solid keeper. I'd definitely start pulling keepers if I were you.

I have no idea about the keepers at Division IV, but I'm guessing you'd need a minimum of a solid keeper to compete.

[damnMikeBrown]

You could get a keeper now on the cheap, for sure. The 160k-$200k is an accurate depiction of the market now. I think it is an exteremly optimistic estimate if you're talking about buying next season. At the start of the season, prices will spike.

Last season I sold some keepers. My solid 22yr old went for $267k, passable 19yr for $80k, and a 21yr excellent for $573k. They all sold in the first 5 weeks of the season. They were all fresh pops.

If you've got the coin, get 'em now. Plus, and this is very minor, you won't take a TS hit if things go badly, because it all resets at the start of the year.

[mckerney]

In my honest and unbiased opinion, you should replace your keeper with this guy:

Diego Dávalos (13526477)
20 years, passable form, healthy

A popular guy who is balanced and upright.
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities.

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 162 000 US$
Wage: 1 420 US$/week
Owner: Square Pegs
Warnings: 0


Stamina: poor Goaltending: passable
Playmaking: wretched Passing: disastrous
Winger: disastrous Defending: disastrous
Scoring: disastrous Set Pieces: disastrous

Career Goals: 0
Career Hattricks: 0
League goals this season: 0
Cup goals this season: 0


He's on the market right now and I think he'd be a great addition to your team. I definately wouldn't shy away from a bidding war to get him if I were you, beat any offer another team puts on the table.

[condors]

well it depends on your div but i got demonted this year with a solid keeper 2 solid defenders 2 passable defenders
2 passable midfielders 1 excellent midfielder 1 solid 1 inadequete winger and 1 solid along 1 passable forward

i honestly wouldn't worry about your keeper i would worry about your midfield you will win more games by getting a higher ranking in your midfield than getting a solid keeper

[TredWel]

condors, midfield is the one position I'm not too worried about. I've got two excellent and one passable (who's about to pop to solid) midfielders, and two solid wingers. I've been putting up 12 star midfields in thee last few games. That's about par as far as I can tell in Division IV.

[FrogMan]

Tred, I wouldn't worry about overpaying for a keeper right now. If your passable keeper is putting up 3 stars in solid form, he's a fairly good/high passable keeper. BTW, I looked up your team...

A new keeper will only increase your defense ratings and your last game, you had formidable/formidable/excellent. That's not where you want to improve.

I would guess you need some more offense, more than defense right now. Passable/weak/passable might be where you'll be hurting. Do you still plan on playing 4-5-1? If so, try to play your inner mids offensively, or try to get some inner mids with passing skill...

FM

[FrogMan]

dola, wanted to add, that I pulled my solid keeper (worth 339k, putting up 3 stars in passable form) from my youth squad. I had been pulling keepers for 11 straight weeks, and had pulled 3 inadequate (one of them high, that I trained for a week, popped to passable and sold back instantly) and 2 passables in the process.

I don't know how you youth squad is, but that could be a way of doing it. That way, you keep your current keeper until you get a better one, and you shore up some other position on your roster...

FM

[TredWel]

Frog:

I've been playing my wingers and one of my inner mid offensively (one with passable passing). I've been considering changing over the the 3-5-2. I've been playing friendlies with a 3-5-2, so I have solid experience with them both. But, I'm still not sure which formation I want to use next year.

If I'm to change to a 3-5-2, I think I'll have to go after another strong scorer before worrying about my keeper situation.

[FrogMan]

yeah, that could be another way to go. I switch from 4-5-1 to 3-5-2 after drawing a bot team 1-1, despite outrating them 46 to 26. The reason: My lone forward got red carded after 20 minutes and I ended up with a wretched central attack rating... Had 85 and 96% possession or about...

FM